Counter display rack



June 4, 1963 F. H. ROUNTREE 3,092,257

COUNTER DISPLAY max Filed April 24 1962 fig. j 15 4 I .1!

.51 J Z INVENTOR. fied/Maun tree BY A TTORNE YS United States Patent 3,092,257 COUNTER DISPLAY RACK I Fred H. Ronntree, Carlyle, 111., assignor to Moran Shoe Company, Carlyle, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 189,776 8 Ciaims. (Cl. 211-49) This invention relates generally to a counter display rack for boxed infants and childrens shoes, boots and slippers.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the counter display rack is provided by forming wire members into an upright rack and a base. The upright rack is characterized by a plurality of compartments disposed in vertical and horizontal rows. The base also has a plurality of display compartments, however, the wire members are disposed to align the boxes contained within the compartments at an inclined angle so the end panels of the boxes will be rendered readily visible and accessible. At the forwardmost part of the base there is provided a sheet form panel member on which the sample childrens shoes or other merchandise contained within the boxes may be displayed. Accordingly, the prospective customer is given complete visibility of all styles and sizes on sale, thereby making it easy to pick out the style and size desired by self-selection. Further, by utilization of the rack of the instant invention, it is possible for selling personnel to observe the sizes that are off-sale so they can replace the needed size from back-up stock.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved merchandise or selling display rack.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a counter display rack for boxed infants and childrens shoes, boots and slippers which gives complete customer visibility of all styles and sizes on sale and which makes it easy to pick out style and size by self-selection.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment of a counter display rack incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a counter display rack incorporating the principles of the present invention and shown filled with a supply of childrens or infants shoes, boots and slippers;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken generally on line 11-11 of FIGURE 1 and illustrates additional details of construction of the vertical rack portion of the counter display rack;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 1IIIII of FIGURE 1 and illustrates additional details of construction of the base portion of the counter display rack; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing additional details of construction of the portion of the counter display rack joining the base of FIGURE 3 with the upright portion of FIGURE 2.

As shown on the drawings:

The counter display rack of the present invention is shown generally in FIGURE 1 by the reference numeral and constitutes a knock-down assemblyof a base shown generally at 11 and an upright or vertical rack shown generally at 12. The base 11 and the vertical rack 12 are separable, thereby facilitating easy shipment and can be readily and conveniently assembled with one another in order to place the counter display rack 19 into usage.

As will be evident from an inspection of FIGURES l and 2, the vertical rack 12 is constituted by a plurality of circumferentially closed, generally rectangular loops each formed by a wire member 13. In the present embodiment, there are four separate loops or members 13 and they are held in firm assembly with one another by a plurality of reinforcing struts 14. The loop members 13 are disposed in parallel spaced relation and are arranged in generally vertical planes spaced apart from one another from front to rear, thereby to form a generally rectangular enclosure. It will "be understood that the reinforcing struts 14 which also develop a retaining function can be conveniently connected with the loop members 13 in firm assembly therewith by means of spot weld ing as at 16 (FIGURE 2). Thus, the subassembly constituting the loop members 13 and the reinforcing struts 14 form a subassembly having a top, bottom and two opposite sides.

In order to divide the interior of the enclosure into a plurality of separate compartments 15, there are provided horizontal cross pieces 17 and vertical pieces 18 which together with one another partition the interior of the enclosure into a plurality of separate compartments 15 arranged in horizontal and vertical rows. In a typical rack for displaying boxed infants and childrens shoes, boots and slippers and wherein the rack is intended to be approximately four feet high, the cross pieces 17 and vertical pieces 18 are disposed to form individual compartments 15 of approximately three to four inches high and approximately four to five inches wide. At the rearwardmost loop member 13, the vertical cross pieces or members as :at 19 (FIGURE 2) are disposed in register with the individual compartments 15, thereby to prevent the individual boxes from being pushed through.

A-t opposite sides of the vertical rack 12, there are provided end standards. The end standards comprise a pair of Wire members 20 which are connected in firm assembly with spaced struts 14 and which are disposed to extend vertically in spaced relationship to one another but inwardly of the forwardmost and the rearwardmost loop members 13, 13.

Referring now to the base unit 11, as shown in FIG- URE 3 in conjunction with FIGURE 1, it will be noted the base is provided by a pair of standards located at opposite sides of the base unit 11 and each comprising a wire member shaped to provide a rear vertical leg 21, a horizontal base portion 22, a forward bight portion 23, a first angularly inclined portion 24 which extends up Wardly and rearwardly, terminating in an angled portion 26 which blends into a second inclined portion 27 which extends rearwardly and upwardly at a lesser angle of inclination than the portion 24 and which terminates in a front vertical leg 28. The front vertical leg 28 is spaced from the rear vertical leg 21 by a spacing dimension corresponding to the spacing dimension between the stand ards 20, 20 on the rack 12.

A plurality of generally vertically extending struts 29 are connected between the inclined portion 27 and the base portion 22 of the base end standards and a generally U-shaped strut 30 having a pair of vertical legs 31 and a bight portion 32 is connected in firm assembly between the leg 24 and the leg 22 of the base end standards.

Extending between the base end standards are a plurali-ty of rectangular wire loop members 33, which loop members 33 are spaced apart vertically from one another and which may be connected in firm assembly with the struts 29 by spot welding or the like in spaced relation to one another.

The loop members 33 thus form an enclosure having a forward portion, a rearward portion and side portions. Extending therebetween in both longitudinal and transverse direction are a plurality of wire cross pieces 34. The transverse cross pieces 34 are staggered or olfset out panels of the boxes will thus be advantageously displayed in a readily visible and accessible position.

It will be noted that the loop members 33 are disposed at a slight angle to the horizontal corresponding to the angle of inclination of the leg 27 and which angle is shown generally on FIGURE3 at 37. Thus, the cross pieces 34 have the effect of partitioning the interior of the enclosure provided by the loop members 33 and the struts, 29 into a tier of separate box compartments which slope or incline upwardly away from the rows of compartments provided in the vertical rack 12.

In order to place the vertical rack 12 in assembly with the base 11, it is contemplated that the end standards 20. 20 of the vertical rack 12 will be placed in aligned regi'sr ter with the end standards of the base 11. Thus, the forwardmost leg 20 will be placed in register with/the leg 28 and the rearwardmost leg 20 will be placed in register with the leg 21.

A sleeve-like socket member 40 is permanently fas- 1 tened to one or the other of the legs 20 and 28' and to one or the other of the legs 20 and 21 and serves to receive in plug-in assembly the other leg. To lock-the parts in assembly, there is provided a locking mechanism shown generally at 41. In this connection, the base 11 has a cross strut 42 to which is attached a U-shaped member 43 welded to the cross strut 42 as at 44 and having a bight portion 46 extending upwardly.

The vertical rack 12 has a somewhat corresponding U-shapedmember 47 welded as at48 to a reinforcing strut 14 and having a bight portion 49 depending towards.

the base 11. a 7

When the legs 20, 20, 28, 21 are fully received within the sockets 40, the two bight portions 46 and 49 will be in adjoining register with one another whereupon a suitable locking clamp is passed through the respective bight the display and toUcon-tain other suitable sales informa:

tion. For example, the display or indicia standard may comprise a pair of closed rectangular wire form loops 54 interconnected by cross pieces 56 at the bottom thereof and spaced from one another to provide a slot for ac c'epting a sheet form indicia bearing member 57. Thus, the sheet form member 57 rests on the cross pieces 56 andis prevented from falling through. A support post tical rack 12 by means of a socket sleeve '59.

In order to display samples of the moxed merchandise,

' a display shelf is provided which comprises a sheet form member 60; The sheet member 60 is: shaped to form a first leg- 61 which extends generally horizontally and is angled upwardly and a second leg 62 which extends generally vertically. At the end of the leg 61 there-is provided a reversely turned hook flange 63 and at the end of the leg 62 .there is a reversely turned hook flange 64.

The flanges 63 and 64 hook and engage wire members 66 and 67 rspectively- It will be noted the wire members 66 and 67" are located so that the display shelf 60 extends between the struts 31 and the legs 24 of the base structure. The -leg 62 provides a front surface which is particularly suitable for bearing informational indicia, for example, informationpertaining to the respective sizes of infants and children at different ages."

The leg 61 provides an advantageous support surface on which to carry the various samples of merchandise con tained Within the rack, for example, shoes S, boots B and slippers L. At the forwardmost edge of the base structure 11 there is provided a channel strip 70 suitably flanged for the reception of slidably insertable price tags 71. I

The forward portion of the base structure 11 is rigidified and aesthetically enhanced by the provision of rectangular loop members 74 which are fastened in firm'as- 58 is provided at each'end of the indicia standard 54 and is assembled to one of the end standards of the versembly between the U-shaped strut members 30 at opposite sides of the base structure 11. V I

After the rack has been assembled, each of the individual compartments is filled with an appropriate box' containing the infants and childrens shoes, boots and slippers displayed on the display shelf 60 so the entire rack will be filled with box containers shown at C. The prospective customer is' thus afforded visibility of all styles and sizes on sale and it is easyfor the customer to pick out the style and size. by self selection. Further, the rack makes it readily convenient for selling personnel to observe the sizes that are off-sale so the needed size can be replaced from back-up stock.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications asreasonably and properly 7 come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A counter display rack for boxed mfants and chil-- drens shoes, boots and slippers comprising,

wire members bent to form a pair of upright base and standards, a pair of upright back end standards, connected to loops by struts and to horizontal cross wires,

and plural sets of vertical pieces, each connected to said loops and cross wires to form compartments, j

each said base end standard comprising a horizontal lower portion for engaging a support surface,

said lower portion terminating at one end in a first verticalbase leg, said lowerportion terminating at its opposite end in an upwardly and rearwardly extend-,

ing portion, and, in turn, terr'ninatingsin a second vertical leg, spaced forwardly of said first vertical leg, 7 each said rack end standards including first and second vertical rack legs in register with the correceived in said sockets,

and a clamping means operatively interconnecting said bight portions to keep said end standards in firm assembly with one another. 3. A counter display rack as defined in'claim l, each of said base end'standards having rows of horizontal cross pieces disposed ingenerally vertically spaced relation, r p 7 but offset forwardlyand rearwardly with respect to one another to form angularly'inclined c0mpartrnents for receiving boxesflwith the box end panels in a readily visible access position. 4. A counter display rack as defined in claim 3,

each of said rack end standards having cross pieces disposed to form horizontally and vertically spaced compartmentsfor receiving the boxes. 5. A counter display rack as defined in claim 1,

said base end standards having extended therebetween at the forwardmost portion thereof a sheet form panel adapted to support for display unboxed samples of the boxed merchandise.

6. A counter display rack for boxed childrens shoes comprising,

a plurality of vertical rectangular wire loops spaced apart from one another and interconnected by a plurality of wire retainer struts,

a plurality of vertical and horizontal cross pieces made of wire members connecting said loops and partitioning the interior of said loops into box sized compartments, and thereby forming together therewith a vertically disposed rack, front and rear vertical wire rack legs on opposite sides of said rack,

a pair of base standards each comprising a wire member shaped to form a horizontal support portion, a rear vertical leg, a front vertical leg and an upper inclined portion extending generally horizontally and vertically to interconnect said horizontal support portion and said front vertical leg,

vertical wire retainer struts on said standards, a plurality of vertically spaced wire rectangular loops connected to said struts and extending between said base standards,

and a plurality of longitudinal and transverse cross pieces made of wire connecting said second loops and partitioning the interior of said base loops into box sized compartments and disposed in ofiset relation to support each box at an inclined alignment positioning the box end panel in a visible access position, and forming together with said base standards a support base, and a socket sleeve for each pair of front and rear vertical legs interconnecting said support base and said rack. 7. A counter display rack as defined in claim 6, each of said end standards having a U-shaped wire member,

said U-shaped wire members being disposed in a vertical plane and arranged to have their respective bight portions in register with one another when said legs are fully received in said sockets, and a clamping means operatively interconnecting said bight portions of said U-shaped Wire form members to keep said end standards in firm assembly with one another. 8. A counter display rack as defined in claim 6, said base end standards having extended therebetween at the forwardmost portion thereof a sheet form panel adapted to support for display unboxed samples of the boxed merchandise.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,793,760 Zel May 28, 1957 2,896,793 Bogart July 28, 1959 2,905,330 Lilja Sept. 22, 1959 2,934,212 Jacobson Apr. 26, 1960 3,055,507 Kobs Sept. 25, 1962 

1. A COUNTER DISPLAY RACK FOR BOXED INFANTS'' AND CHILDREN''S SHOES, BOOTS AND SLIPPERS COMPRISING, WIRE MEMBERS BENT TO FORM A PAIR OF UPRIGHT BASE END STANDARDS, A PAIR OF UPRIGHT BACK END STANDARDS, CONNECTED TO LOOPS BY STRUTS AND TO HORIZONTAL CROSS WIRES, AND PLURAL SETS OF VERTICAL PIECES, EACH CONNECTED TO SAID LOOPS AND CROSS WIRES TO FORM COMPARTMENTS, EACH SAID BASE END STANDARD COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL LOWER PORTION FOR ENGAGING A SUPPORT SURFACE, SAID LOWER PORTION TERMINATING AT ONE END IN A FIRST VERTICAL BASE LEG, SAID LOWER PORTION TERMINATING AT ITS OPPOSITE END IN AN UPWARDLY AND REARWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION, AND, IN TURN, TERMINATING IN A SECOND VERTICAL LEG SPACED FORWARDLY OF SAID FIRST VERTICAL LEG, 